His Faithfulness is Still Great
In 1923 Thomas Chisolm birthed one of the greatest modern hymns regarding the faithfulness of God ever. In stanza one he writes of God's unchanging character and unfailing compassions. In stanza two he writes of God's faithfulness in maintaining the order of His universe. In stanza three he writes of God's faithfulness in forgiving our sins, providing strength for today and hope for tomorrow. Each stanza leads to the great culminating chorus that declares the victorious words of Jeremiah, "Great is Thy faithfulness."
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God, my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above;
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Pardon for sin And a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today And bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, With ten thousand beside.
Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God, my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above;
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Pardon for sin And a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today And bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, With ten thousand beside.
Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.
The Fountain Still Flows
In the late seventeen hundreds, there lived a Christian songwriter and poet who penned this powerful hymn. It is powerful because it is true; but not only is it true, it was birthed from the belly of its author when he realized that once and for all, he had been forgiven of his sins. William Cowper was so guilty of his sins, and so worried that they would be found out at a public inquisition, that he attempted suicide. The Lord saved him however, and revealed His cleansing power. After recovery from that awful ordeal, he wrote:
There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing Thy power to save,
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lies silent in the grave, lies silent in the grave;
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lord, I believe Thou hast prepared, unworthy though I be,
For me a blood bought free reward, a golden harp for me!
’Tis strung and tuned for endless years, and formed by power divine,
To sound in God the Father’s ears no other name but Thine.
There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing Thy power to save,
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lies silent in the grave, lies silent in the grave;
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lord, I believe Thou hast prepared, unworthy though I be,
For me a blood bought free reward, a golden harp for me!
’Tis strung and tuned for endless years, and formed by power divine,
To sound in God the Father’s ears no other name but Thine.
Links to Other Hymns and Their Origins
link one: click here
link two: click here
link two: click here
Hymns and Spiritual Songs
The Holy Spirit continues to inspire and anoint men, women, boys and girls all over the world to sing! He truly puts His song into our hearts! Throughout the centuries He has inspired many songs that we call hymns, and many others that are referred to as spiritual songs.
HYMNS
Usually, hymns have several stanzas and a chorus. Most of the hymns sung throughout the last century can be traced back to the spirit from which the reformation was shaped. During that time, there was a desperate cry for sound doctrine to be restored to God's people. The reformers bravely and boldly began to preach truths about God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, the Holy Spirit, and/or the believer's relationship with them and with one another. As multitudes of Christians began to experience freedom from Roman Catholicism through the knowledge of the truth in the sixteenth and seventeen centuries, the Holy Spirit inspired many writers to compose music and pen the lyrics to many Biblical based hymns that would also reinforce sound preaching of the Word. God's people had been shut away from truth for nearly 1500 years and He was revived them first, by truth.
SPIRITUAL SONGS
It was after the truth of His Word was re-established beginning in the 1500s, that the Spirit began to move among God's people more dramatically in the early 1700s. This is when spiritual songs began to come forth amid the many theological hymns. Spiritual songs are those songs birthed from the belly that seem to usually direct personal praise to God, whereas the hymns usually declare truths about God - which is also worship. The combination of the two made for great edification and strength to the body of Christ. That combination may still bring great edification to the local body of singing worshipers today, depending on whether a worship leader is truly sensitive to the Spirit's leadership in worship to the Father and the Son. This is the central element: How would the Spirit lead?
There is much more to be added to this article that is taken from a new book that Mark is writing called, "As We Gather." Please check back in the coming weeks for a greater knowledge and understanding why musical hymns and spiritual songs are important to the members of His body, individually and together.
HYMNS
Usually, hymns have several stanzas and a chorus. Most of the hymns sung throughout the last century can be traced back to the spirit from which the reformation was shaped. During that time, there was a desperate cry for sound doctrine to be restored to God's people. The reformers bravely and boldly began to preach truths about God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, the Holy Spirit, and/or the believer's relationship with them and with one another. As multitudes of Christians began to experience freedom from Roman Catholicism through the knowledge of the truth in the sixteenth and seventeen centuries, the Holy Spirit inspired many writers to compose music and pen the lyrics to many Biblical based hymns that would also reinforce sound preaching of the Word. God's people had been shut away from truth for nearly 1500 years and He was revived them first, by truth.
SPIRITUAL SONGS
It was after the truth of His Word was re-established beginning in the 1500s, that the Spirit began to move among God's people more dramatically in the early 1700s. This is when spiritual songs began to come forth amid the many theological hymns. Spiritual songs are those songs birthed from the belly that seem to usually direct personal praise to God, whereas the hymns usually declare truths about God - which is also worship. The combination of the two made for great edification and strength to the body of Christ. That combination may still bring great edification to the local body of singing worshipers today, depending on whether a worship leader is truly sensitive to the Spirit's leadership in worship to the Father and the Son. This is the central element: How would the Spirit lead?
There is much more to be added to this article that is taken from a new book that Mark is writing called, "As We Gather." Please check back in the coming weeks for a greater knowledge and understanding why musical hymns and spiritual songs are important to the members of His body, individually and together.